City of New Orleans Earns Highest Honor in Performance Management

July 18, 2014

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, the City of New Orleans announced that it has received a Certificate of Excellence for superior performance management efforts from the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) Center for Performance Analytics™. The certificate program assesses a local government’s performance management program and encourages analysis of results by comparing to peers and gauging performance over time. The City of New Orleans is among 29 jurisdictions receiving the Certificate of Excellence – the highest level awarded. In 2013, the City received a Certificate of Distinction from ICMA’s Center for Performance Analytics™ for its work in performance management.

“When we took office in 2010, we made a commitment to set goals and track our performance so that our citizens could hold us accountable like never before,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “I want to thank the International City/County Management Association for this honor and for recognizing the City of New Orleans as a leader in performance management.”

Since taking office in 2010, Mayor Mitch Landrieu has committed to dramatically improving the accountability, transparency, and performance of New Orleans city government. In January 2011, Mayor Landrieu created the Office of Performance and Accountability (OPA) to implement a performance management system for the City, where the analysis of data is used to promote better results and to demonstrate the public’s return on investment for their tax dollars. OPA coordinates the development of the City’s strategic framework, uses performance measures to track progress towards the goals in the strategic framework, reports the results in ResultsNOLA reports and STAT meetings, and reviews results to understand what’s working, what’s not, and to identify solutions for improvement.

"Our goal is to promote better City services through data-driven management decision-making and accountability to deliver results for our citizens,” said Deputy Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer Andy Kopplin. “Once again, our aggressive work is being recognized on a national stage.”

“It is an honor to receive the International City/County Management Association’s Certificate of Excellence as validation of our hard work,” said Oliver Wise, Director of OPA. “We are working every day to make city government more efficient for the citizens of New Orleans.”

ICMA assesses a local government’s performance management program and encourages analysis of results by comparing to peers and gauging performance over time. Performance management aids in cost reduction, program prioritization, and quality improvement. It also encourages accountability and transparency. Certificates are awarded at the levels of Achievement, Distinction, and Excellence.

Performance management aids in cost reduction, program prioritization, and quality improvement. It also encourages accountability and transparency.

“The certificate program recognizes the principles of performance management,” said Randall H. Reid, ICMA Director of Performance Initiatives. “Jurisdictions meeting the qualifications have demonstrated leadership in continuous improvement and community engagement, and they serve as examples for other governments to follow.”

Criteria for the Certificate of Excellence include:

Reporting of performance data to the public through budgets, newsletters, and/or information provided to elected officials

Data verification efforts to ensure data reliability

Staff training

Use of performance data in strategic planning and operational decision-making

Sharing of performance measurement knowledge with other local governments through presentations, site visits, and other networking

Commitment to tracking and reporting to the public key outcomes

Surveying of the both residents and local government employees

Effective and timely reporting.

About ICMA
Now in its 100th year, ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government worldwide. Its mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advancing professional management of local government. ICMA provides member support; publications; data and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to nearly 9,000 city, town, and county experts and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of individuals living in thousands of communities, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas.

About the Center for Performance Analytics
ICMA’s Center for Performance Analytics is dedicated to helping local governments use performance information to better the lives of the people they serve. The Center encourages the use and public reporting of performance information in a positive, continuous-learning environment in order to foster organizational cultures that deliver results that matter. For more information on the center’s comparative data analysis services, please visit icma.org/performanceinsights.